One Step Closer to the MLS? St. Louis Soccer Club Owners Want USL Pro Team by 2015

A lucky fan catches the ball at the friendly between Chelsea FC and Manchester City FC.

"People have got to talk with their feet," Glavin says, speaking like a lifelong footballer. "It's one thing to say they'll come, but we really need them to do that. We are behind when it comes to the support of the team."

To gauge whether St. Louisans would actually buy tickets for professional soccer, Glavin and Haines launched a simple new website asking fans to submit their names, contact info and their ticket choices, ranging from single game tickets to season passes.

But a USL pro team would be more than just a dry run for an MLS franchise. The leagues started working together last year in a player-development deal similar to Major League Baseball's farm system. A USL team in St. Louis would be automatically paired with a partner team in the MLS as the leagues work to strengthen competition and expand their fanbase.

"This area would like to see an MLS team," says Glavin. "If we do have a USL team, part of our initiative is to connect with an MLS team. If we're going to invest in a USL professional team, we want to build a foundation with the potential to go beyond USL."

Jon Gitchoff

What they said.

But, wait. Haven't we been here before? Enter the ghost of St. Louis' professional soccer past: A.C. St. Louis.

St. Louis' first professional outdoor men's team in 30 years, A.C. St. Louis launched in the 2010 season with the North American Soccer League, another professional league in the American soccer pyramid. After one and only season with game attendance levels that never broke 6,000 people, the team closed in dire financial straits.

Glavin acknowledges but shakes off the comparison. With several local investors securely in place, Glavin hopes he'll avoid A.C. St. Louis' fate by capitalizing on the recent upswing in soccer's popularity here.

"The timing wasn't right," he says about A.C. St. Louis.

When it comes to a soccer team, the big question is always: Where will they play? Glavin doesn't have an answer yet, but he's keeping all options -- from using a university field to building a new pitch -- on the table.

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MLS in St Louis? Won't happen until the likes of Stan Kroenke, Anheuser Busch, and Enterprise auto rental put up a stadium proposal with a strong and committed marketing campaign. A vocal and visible supporters group of grass roots fans would need to show up often at any opportunity to forward the effort. St. Louis, the Soccer Capital of the US. Don't make me (or any knowledgeable person) laugh. We can't live in the past. Where is the capital funding, the community commitment, and a the pool of talented players, coaches, and fans? MLS has 23 spots filled or soon to be filled in their plan for a 24 team league. Places like Sacramento, San Antonio, and others are months, even years ahead of us. Get moving or get off this claim of soccer tradition!

MLS in St. Louis? Won't happen until A-B (Brazilian owned), Stan Kroenke, and the owners of Enterprise Car rental put up BIG dollars to do a first class job of: a stadium proposal, appealing fanfare (marketing) to the local area, and the creation of a strong supporters group even before a team has been declared. The Sons of Ben in Philly showed how to do that. The fallout from the AC St. Louis disaster follows us in the project of creating all of those conditions. St. Louis, the Soccer Capital of the US? Don't make me laugh. We've been surpassed. Now we must rebuild general interest, quality soccer infrastructure, and young players who show talent and desire.

If I were both Tony Glavin and Andrew Haines I would consider building a soccer stadium either at the Union Station or the Bottle district. They should follow what the Sacramento Republic FC of the USL Pro did by building an 8,000 stadium which cost only 3 million dollars without tax payers money and it will only take 2 months to build it before the their season starts in April. http://www.sacbee.com/2014/02/19/6171535/tentative-deal-reached-to-build.html

Tony Glavin and Andrew Haines can affect the arrival of an MLS team in Saint Louis. They need to be smart by finding a rich patron, whether an individual or some group. They must invigorate the existing local supporters by growing their soccer loving numbers into a critical mass of fanatics. Most of all the must determine to base the team inside the city limits. The Sons of Ben in Philadelphia and the Timber Army in Portland proved that a small army of fans can really swing the balance in the mind of investors. Cultivate the press who now pay scant attention to any soccer news. The building of a team requires diligence on the part of the organizers. It is long overdue that our town has its own team.

I think the soccer fans are here but you're not going to get them to come out in large numbers for a minor league team. You'll get the ones that truly love the game to come out, but not your casual fans. I think that was pretty clear from what happened with AC.

Sign a lease agreement with SLU to build a stadium at Grand and Chouteau, or Jefferson and Chouteau. Both sites have good freeway access. Good for SLU and a great CITY location for St. Louis fans. Talk with the Brazilians at Broadway and Arsenal. I've heard their country knows something about in soccer. In the meantime play the games at Hermann Stadium. The real question: will the St. Louis fan get totally energized and convert their alleged soccer loyalty into a rabid cohort of fanatics who spread enthusiasm. Just look at groups from Portland to Philadelphia. Get off your ass St. Louis. Seize the possible!!!!

I hope they play somewhere more central to the region not just the St. Charles area. The problem I have now with attending Lions games is the distance for me. Some place central or even as some have mentioned, STL Soccer park would be ideal. I'm excited either way but location will determine if I get season tickets or just make it to a few games. Can't wait till 2015!

There's an open space just north of a Casino Queen on the east side. Eads bridge Metro Link stops right there. Look on your satellite map images - a pitch & stands should fit fine. It wouldn't cost the 100's of millions of $ that a "real" downtown stadium would, and could have an iconic downtown view.

Definitely more exciting than that yawn fest called baseball. Sitting
in the sun watching out of shape "athletes" scratch their junk and spit tobacco while trying to decide if they are gonna swing or night...Valium for the masses.